Thunder Gold
by scyllablue
Summary: SLASH. HunterDustin. The Wind Ninjas were not the only dojo with three morphers, but there’s only one yellow Ranger to go around.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Thunder Gold

Author: Scyllablue

Rating: SLASH. Mature readers only.

Disclaimer: Does Disney own these boys? Well, I know I do not and nor is any profit being made.

Summary: The Wind Ninjas were not the only dojo with three morphers, but there's only one yellow Ranger to go around.

Pairing: Hunter/Dustin

Author's Note: Okay, Power Rangers has to be one of my guiltiest pleasures. The epitome of cheese, but good cheese, Blarney cheese rather than bland Edam. Really, really good cheese. lol. / indicates using their wrist communicator doohickeys. Please forgive if I goof on the titles, they do tend to get confusing. And I put their ages in their late teens. Did the show ever specify?

The Thunder Ninja dojo was quiet and dark, the dilapidated building deserted save for two ghosts that flitted through its long shadows. The dojo's former glory could be seen in the grace and material of its design, but recent battles had torn through its walls and left it exposed to nature's harsh fancy. Its once polished floors crept with dirt and vine, littered with broken statuary and weapons. The surrounding forest crept closer every day; the trees that had once protected the dojo now seeking to reclaim as the wood rotted and steel rusted.

A black booted foot kicked at a Buddha statue, the preternaturally loud thunking earning a hard glare. "Sorry," Blake muttered, looking anywhere but at his brother. The larger Thunder Ranger shook his head sharply, turning back to the tiles he was carefully prying up. It felt wrong to be doing this to their former home, but what choice was there? To exact revenge on Lothor for killing their parents and destroying the Thunder dojo, they needed to be at full strength.

They needed the Thunder Ninja Gold Ranger.

"I'm sorry, sensei, but there was an earthquake . . . no. Flood? Caught in a stampede to the Spring Sale at the mall? Man, I am so screwed," Dustin moaned as he ran through the woods. Punctuality was never something he excelled at, but usually he had his teammates Shane and Tori to ride him, make sure he got where he needed going. Not today, when he had to stay late at school to finish a chemistry project. If he'd left on time, he'd have made practice at the Wind dojo early for once. And really, was it his fault if Paul Jensen wanted to show him his new wheels? What, was he supposed to be rude to the guy and blow him off?

He hated that when he finally got to practice everyone would just roll their eyes at him, another example of 'Dustin the screw-up'. Like they expected nothing less. It was fun most of the time for people to treat him like an airhead. No expectations of genius meant that whenever he did manage to say something vaguely smart, everyone was impressed. Being Cam, their resident computer whiz and morpher designer, had to suck. Cam, the man with the plan. No thanks, Dustin was cool with just being Dustin, biker and Yellow Ranger. Point him at the bad guy and he was good to go. He didn't want to think; just ride and fight. But that didn't make him an airhead did it?

Dodging around a tree, the slender brunette frowned. Did questioning what made him an airhead make him one? Was it like that whole insanity argument: only sane people think they are insane? He'd have to ask Shane later, the guy was good for that kind of stuff. Tori would laugh or give him one of her pitying looks; Cam would likely just stare at him in bemusement before walking away, and he didn't want to think about the sensei. No thinking.

No thinking jumped immediately to images of his bike. Yesterday he'd finally managed to give her a total tune-up, but he doubted he'd get on her today. The sensei was probably going to have him doing katas until curfew for being late. Maybe tomorrow, but Shane had a thing tomorrow, and Tori wasn't interested since Blake disappeared off the face of the earth, so that meant he'd have to show alone. Which was cool, but it made him miss the two Thunder Rangers, who had both motorcrossed. Way above his league, but when they hadn't been trying to kill him or sabotage the Wind Rangers, they'd been cool with him. Especially Mr. Tall, Blond and Brooding, Hunter. Considering the attitude he gave the world, Dustin had always expected to find himself on the guy's shit list, but one on one Hunter had always seemed to treat him with . . . gentleness.

A weird word and Dustin blushed. Sure, if the Thunder Ranger wasn't so psycho and hadn't pulled a Houdini with his brother Dustin would most definitely be all into him, had been for all the few weeks they'd hung around, but why the 'what if's? Even if they showed up tomorrow, there was nothing Dustin had that he knew the older teen would want in a boyfriend. Serious kick ass into laid back klutz? Erm, no.

Breaking from the tree line, the young ninja didn't slow his pace. A waterfall cascaded into a wide pool before him: the hidden entrance to the Wind Ninja dojo. His sneakered feet barely impressed the water's surface as he ran across, anticipating the portal of white light that would transport him to the dojo. A flicker of air and it appeared, reassuring the teenager that his mentor wasn't so mad as to lock him out. With a relieved grin he pushed himself faster, determined to warrant as little groveling time as possible.

The portal blinked and before he could react, flashed red. With a pained grunt he rebounded off the suddenly solid surface and plunged beneath the water with a violent splash. When the ripples faded out there was no sign of the Yellow Wind Ranger.

A red light flashed through the trees, intersecting briefly with a similar blue streak before bouncing off again. Careening for miles in every direction they eventually circled back to stop within inches of each other, water lapping against their brightly colored boots as they caught their breath on the lake's shore.

"Anything?" Tori gasped.

"No," Shane, the Red Wind Ranger snapped, angry at their lack of results and his inability to think of a better plan than jumping around the countryside like an insane grasshopper. They knew someone had activated the portal to the dojo and that Dustin was the only one who could have, running late as usual to practice. Except, there was no Dustin.

/Shane/ A tiny voice piped from his wrist morpher, bringing him back to the here and now. Lifting his arm, he activated the transceiver as his black eyes locked with Tori's blue ones.

"Nothing, Cam. If Dustin was here, he's long gone now."

/That's not possible/ Cam objected. /He didn't activate his morpher, so he could only move at normal speed. Even at a flat out run, he-/

"I know how fast Dustin can run, Cam, I've chased his skinny butt often enough. Wherever Dustin's gone, he didn't get there on his own." Somehow, right outside the door to safety, the Yellow Wind Ranger had been kidnapped.

/I fear Shane is correct./ The sensei's voice didn't seem to come from the morpher so much as the air itself, but the Red Ranger shrugged it off as standard mystical ninja mojo. /Until Cam can find Dustin through his morpher or more conventional means, I want you both to return to the dojo./

Shane didn't like it, but couldn't think of an argument to let him continue searching. Following Tori back across the water, the ranger couldn't resist casting one last look back into the woods. Whomever had taken their imp had better prepare to suffer for it.

The brush dipped into the shallow bowl of clear liquid. A steady hand dragged it over the lip to catch any excess, then quickly sketched a glyph onto its warm canvas, only to repeat the process. The characters were small, the brush only holding a few hairs, plucked from the head his other hand cupped, holding back the longish curls. A few more strokes and the tiered glyph was done, glowing silver down the length of the spine before disappearing altogether.

"Wouldn't it have just been easier to find a new ranger?" Blake's weight dipped the other side of the mattress, thin fingers reaching out to lightly touch the Wind Ranger morpher still attached to Hunter's canvas.

"No. Unless you know of any ninjas Lothor hasn't imprisoned that are guaranteed to activate a yellow Ranger morpher?" When Blake just grinned in apology he brusquely nodded and carefully set aside his tools.

"Of course, having the hots for Pretty Boy helps, doesn't it?"

"Shut up and get me the morpher." The cold tone was ignored as the smaller Thunder Ranger glided to his feet and out of the room. Hunter didn't take his gaze from the slender teenager stretched out beneath him. Stripped to the waist and his baggy jeans tugged down till the base of his spine was exposed the only Yellow Ranger left on Earth was an exquisite vision of pale golden flesh and Hunter laid his large hand there, at the small of his back. In all honesty, he was uncertain what drew him to the often flighty brunette, but he wouldn't deny the attraction. Perhaps it was his earnest, unfailing innocence and hope. His brother fought to keep a cheerful front, but his eyes were as jaded and scarred as his own. Something bright, fragile, and unflinching within Dustin called for him to protect it, make it his own.

With efficient motion he rolled the Yellow Ranger onto his back and captured the wrist Blake had touched. Hours had elapsed since Dustin had literally run headlong into their trap and Hunter expected him to sleep for a time yet, knowing the energy drain from their Thunder Shield and being transported to have been great. Rotating his deceptively thin arm he smirked at the smooth band of the morpher, similar enough to his own to know where the hidden clasp was. Running his finger lightly over the geometrical swirls he released a small zap of electricity and the clasp clicked open.

"What are you going to do with it?" Blake asked as he came back into the room, holding a familiar small bundle of mud encrusted cloth.

"We need to get rid of it. I don't want Dustin finding it and those posers' computer geek might be able to track it somehow. Drop it in the ocean?"

"No prob." The Royal Thunder Ranger handed him the cloth and accepted the Wind morpher. "Maybe a shark will eat it or something." A mischievous grin and he disappeared.

Discarding the muddied rag Hunter took Dustin's slender hand into his larger one. Almost reverently he pressed a kiss to the back of his knuckles before fastening the new morpher to his wrist. "Everything will be different now, Dustin."

TBC?


	2. Chapter 2

A loud beeping filled the halls of the subterranean Wind dojo, summoning its two remaining Rangers to the affectionately dubbed 'Ninja Control', Cam's wall of computer gizmos. "Did we find Dustin?" Tori asked as they came into the room. Still trapped in the form of a guinea pig their sensei stood on his son's shoulder, glancing their way briefly before turning back to the large central monitor.

"The computer has detected the morpher's signal. Cam is bringing it up now."

With a distracted button push the Asian youth cancelled the alarm. "It's weird, but his morpher just appeared on radar. In the Atlantic."

"The Atlantic, as in ocean?" Tori's eyebrows climbed.

The monitor fuzzed then showed an empty expanse of water. "Almost two hundred miles out, four hundred and sixty feet down and sinking." A manipulation of the mouse and their camera plunged beneath the surface. Everyone in the room leaned forward, eyes straining to catch sight of their missing friend.

"There!" Shane's finger stabbed against the hard plastic of the monitor. The picture slowed, letting everyone see what the Red Ranger's eagle vision had zeroed on: a wrist morpher. "Where's Dustin?"

"I thought these things couldn't come off," Tori commented looking at her own morpher with mild suspicion.

Cam couldn't think of an answer for Shane so he addressed Tori instead. "Of course they can be removed. You just have to know how. Which Dustin most certainly did not. I wanted to make sure he wouldn't forget it somewhere."

"So how do we find Dustin now?" Tori asked, voicing the question on everyone's mind.

It was close to evening when the brunette finally stirred, his nonsensical mumblings pulling Hunter from his light meditation. Uncurling from where he'd retreated to the corner of the room, he crossed to the bare mattress and knelt, reaching out to gently card the haphazard black curls. Without opening his eyes the Yellow Ranger leant into the caress, humming softly in pleasure, and the blond fought a smile of his own.

"Alex?" He called the new name he had chosen softly, sounding it out to his own ears. The newly christened Alex tossed his head, coming more awake. "C'mon, baby, time to rejoin the living." His voice prompted further humming, but the chocolate brown eyes gradually opened. There was no recognition in them, but Hunter didn't expect there to be. He'd prepared for panic and fear, but the younger teenager just gave him a trusting dimpled smile and stretched.

"Hey. Did I sleep long? My head's real fuzzy." A frown wrinkled his forehead, but it cleared when Hunter stroked the side of his face, eliciting another innocent smile that took tenacious hold of the Crimson Ranger's heart.

"Everything's fine, Alex. We were in a battle and you got hit pretty hard by one of Lothor's aliens. Do you remember any of that?" Doubtful since it had never happened, but Hunter's expression stayed hopeful and concerned. The spell he had written up the Yellow Ranger's spine was two-fold: it erased his memories and left him open to Hunter's suggestion. Whatever Hunter, and Hunter alone, told him Alex would believe, about himself and anyone else.

"No, sorry, man. Everything's a blank." He struggled to sit up and Hunter moved to help, slipping an arm about him and practically pulling the smaller youth into his lap.

"You did take a pretty hard hit, but I'm sure it'll all come back." In a million years, he silently added. "But hey, you remember me, the love of your life, right?"

"Oh!" Alex squirmed and looked away, a red flush staining his pale cheeks. Strong fingers caught his chin, however, pulling his elfin face up to let Hunter see his shining eyes. "I-I'm sorry."

"Oh no," he breathed, leaning in to lightly claim that quirky mouth. Alex stiffened at first but when Hunter didn't push for more he gradually relaxed, began to respond. Leisurely Hunter mapped the slender teen's mouth, only drawing away when Alex had completely given himself to the kiss. "It's okay, baby."

"Wow," the brunette panted, "I wish I remembered more kisses like that!"

Hunter smiled, barely keeping the euphoria of his triumph in check. "Then we'll just have to make new memories, won't we?"

A week later.

"We can do this. Alex, close your eyes." The three Thunder Rangers stood in a rough circle within the central hall of their demolished dojo, just out of arm's reach of each other. While Alex's memory had yet to return, he found he could remember some things about his past life with Hunter's prompting. Like being able to fight. The martial arts came easily, his body seeming to remember what his mind could not. Being told about their fight to free their fellow ninjas and protect the Earth against an alien horde had sounded straight out of a comic book, but when he'd been shown how to activate his morpher, he began to believe. He was the Thunder Ninja Gold Power Ranger, dedicated to the war against evil. Soon, Hunter promised, they would rejoin the fight. But first he wanted to return their home to its former glory.

Doing as bid he closed his eyes, then, starting to feel a fidget coming on, cracked one eye open. "Maybe we should hold hands? To channel or something?" Somehow, Hunter's touch always calmed him, helped him to concentrate.

Hunter stared at him for a long minute, then smiled slightly. "Okay."

They all took the necessary steps closer and clasped hands, Alex grinning as his boyfriend gave his slender fingers a reassuring squeeze. Then Hunter ordered them to concentrate, to open themselves to the power that they tapped into to become Thunder Rangers. Easier said, but Alex trusted his boyfriend, realizing he didn't have to merge with some awesome force, just Hunter, who would do the rest. Hunter's mouth on his, his arms wrapped about him, his strength and love, and Alex gasped as he felt the blond there, around him, inside him, pulling him towards something loud and huge. Blake was there too, a cool ribbon of bluish light, weaving about the red and yellow until everything went white.

They were one.

Outside their circle the young men appeared frozen, heads bowed, not even the slight rise and fall of their chests noticeable. Nothing seemed to be happening. Until, with no warning of thunder, a bolt of lightening struck the middle of their circle and exploded outwards. Heads flew back, their Ranger armor coming unbidden to protect them from the energy they had unleashed. It swept through every hall and into every room, leaving no corner of the dojo untouched.

"Whoa," Blake breathed, letting go of his teammates to stagger back and drop gracelessly to his butt. "That was,"

"Way cool!" Alex whooped, throwing himself into his boyfriend's arms. Slightly unbalanced himself, Hunter careened but visibly struggled to keep his feet, determined to not drop his boyfriend. Their helmets clunked together, belatedly making them realize they were all in armor. A thought to banish the uniform and the brunette was kissing his Hunter, a wriggling bundle of happiness that was graciously received.

Snorting at their display, Blake purposively looked in another direction only to exclaim in surprise. "Guys! Guys! Get off each other! We did it!"

Setting Alex back on his feet, Hunter kept an arm about his waist as they took in the changes their spell had wrought. "It worked," Hunter shook his head in amazement, staring at their restored dojo. The rice paper and bamboo walls were once more intact, the dirt and invading vegetation gone, the shattered statues and broken weaponry restored to their stands and wall mountings. The Thunder Dojo was as it once was before.

TBC.


	3. Chapter 3

Thunder Gold, Chapter 3.

warnings: sex play, slightly modified from original content. Should I put markers for upcoming smut within the story? I don't usually interrupt the flow of the story with author dialogue. It's bloody annoying. If you're not old enough to read about two young men getting it on, go away.

A month later.

Lothor's latest alien monster laughed shrilly as it sent the remaining two Wind Rangers flying. Without the Yellow Ranger they were barely holding their own and knew the fight was hopeless if the monster was super-enlarged. Unable to form Megazoid, their best effort was to delay until Cam could think of something.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep this up," Tori groaned, awkwardly rolling to her feet. Beside her Shane clutched at ribs that felt broken, at a loss for inspirational words when defeat seemed imminent.

"Cam?"

/I'm trying to remote control the lion, but it wasn't designed for this. Just a few more minutes/

"We don't have a few more minutes! We need help now!"

"No need to shout, Blue Ranger," a familiar deep voice said behind them, the Crimson Thunder Ranger stepping into view with his usual flair of arrogant confidence. Surprisingly, he wasn't accompanied by just the Royal Thunder Ranger, but a third as well, trimmed in bright gold. "Help can hear you just fine."

"Hunter!" Tori exclaimed, though her eyes were riveted on the other blue clad Ranger. Beside her Shane frowned at the new masked yellow Thunder Ranger.

"What the hell do you think," he started, but Hunter shouldered past him.

"Let's show these posers how real Rangers fight. Blake, flank right. Alex, left."

The ensuing battle was short and vicious, the new Thunder Ranger proving to be as ruthless as his brothers. The alien was quickly dispatched, reduced to so much strewn bloody flesh that not even Lothor could create further havoc with what remained. Shane and Tori watched in amazement, impressed that the synchronistic Rangers had become even more so with the addition of their third. Like their own dojo, the brothers were the only ninjas to escape Lothor's imprisonment. Watching them lightening across the battlefield Shane wondered what the new Ranger Alex's story was. Had he escaped or was he completely new to all this? Could it be coincidence, Dustin's disappearance and the arrival of the Gold Thunder Ranger?

With the monster defeated it looked like the Storm Rangers were just going to leave, but Blake suddenly changed direction towards them, forcing the other two to follow at a slower pace. "Are you alright?" he asked Tori, not even bothering to make an insincere attempt at including Shane.

Not that the Red Wind Ranger cared, preoccupied with discreetly watching his counterpart and the yellow Ranger. Stopping a few feet behind Blake, Hunter had his hand on the back of Alex's neck, the rhythmic kneading of his fingers coaxing the smaller Ranger to gradually drop his head to the other youth's broad shoulder. It was an affectionately blatant display of possession and deepened Shane's frown.

"We're okay, now, thanks," Tori gushed. "We've, I've missed you. Where did you go and, oh, nice to meet you!" Belatedly remembering her manners, the Blue Ranger thrust out a slender hand in greeting. "I'm Tori and this Shane. We're Wind Rangers."

A hand barely bigger than her own clasped it briefly as the newest Ranger stepped forward. "Alex. Nice to meet you."

"Where's your Yellow Ranger?" Hunter suddenly asked. His hold dislodged from Alex's nape, his hand comfortably re-settled on one narrow hip.

"He couldn't make it." Shane spoke before Tori could, his pride unwilling to admit their loss and obvious need for help.

"Hunh. Good thing we showed up then." Hunter's hand slid around Alex's waist, tugging him back. His other hand clasped Blake's shoulder, a clear signal he was done chatting. "And hey, if you need us to fight your battles for you again, just scream."

"Thanks," Shane snarled, "but it won't happen."

"One time thing, skater boy?" Blake laughed. "You just keep thinking that."

And then they were gone.

"Arghh, I hate those guys!" Shane shouted, kicking the ground in frustration.

"They're just confrontational," Tori dismissed. "I just wish everything with them wasn't a mystery. Where do they go? Do they have guardians, a sensei? Where did Alex come from? He's a total sweetheart compared to those two. And did you see Mister Territorial all over him? I'm surprised he didn't just lift his leg. Still," the blond surfer grinned, "very cute together."

With a muttered curse Shane walked away.

oOo

"Ehmm," Alex hummed, focused on the buttons of Hunter's shirt, carefully slipping each one free until his boyfriend's smooth muscled chest was bared to his sight. The blond was on his back beneath him, surprisingly passive to Alex's demands, hands tucked beneath his head as he watched his impish lover explore through slitted eyes. They had gone as far as this before in their lovemaking, but Hunter never let them go all the way. Not now and not before. Alex was a virgin, but not for much longer if he had anything to do with it.

Leaning over his stubborn love, Alex playfully licked the side of his mouth, then hunched lower to latch onto a pert nipple. The pale body jerked, but Alex refused to let go of his treat. Nibbling gently, he reached across to find the other dark pink protrusion pebbled to spongy hardness. Hunter tasted of green tea and salt the brunette decided, laving the valley expanse of his chest as his hands palmed his rippled stomach, pressing down to steady himself and to feel those muscles flex and clench.

Large hands on his shoulders pushed him back and Alex sat up with a pout. "Hunter," he griped, but cut off with a moan as those cruel hands moved to his hips and pressed him down onto a clothed hardness. "Yes," he gasped, eagerly grinding onto Hunter's crotch.

"Open your pants and take yourself out," Hunter ordered in his quiet voice. He looked and sounded so calm Alex hesitated, but when he gave a warning squeeze the brunette fumbled to obey. Half-erect from their play, his penis quickly swelled when he pulled it free. "Good. Now stroke yourself."

For all they had done, they'd never seen each other naked and certainly not from the waist down. Blushing a furious red, Alex licked his palm and fingers, and then started to lightly fist himself. It felt good and weird, and he ducked his head when he realized Hunter was going to watch him masturbate.

"Look at me, Alex." He couldn't refuse, rich brown eyes lifting into glacial blue. The swelter of emotions he saw there captured his breath and he trembled to be the focus of such intensity. Thumbs slipped beneath the loosened waistband of his jeans and rubbed soothing circles into his sweat slickened skin. "Watching you pleasure yourself," Hunter husked, "it's a big kink of mine. I don't know which I'm looking forward to more: taking your cherry or watching you fuck yourself with a dildo."

"Please," Alex sobbed, twisting on his lap in want, his hand jerking harder in need. He distantly felt his jeans and boxers being shoved down his ass, but he couldn't focus through the haze of pleasure. A hand cupped an ass cheek and gave a hard squeeze, eliciting a sharp cry. Another hand ran up and down the arch of his spine, generating an altogether different kind of tingle, sharp and spreading.

"Whatever I want to do to you, I will. You're mine, Alex." Fingers delved into his cleft and he squirmed to feel one circle the virgin entrance to his body.

"Hunter, please."

"Please, what? Your pleasure belongs to me." The finger pressed in slowly. "You belong to me."

"Yes, please, oh God, Hunter, yes, yes." Alex couldn't tell if he was screaming or not, one finger becoming two, and he felt something heavy, sticky and hot pressing up into the crack of his ass.

"Say it."

"Yours!" Alex did scream then, Hunter's fingers touching something inside that hurtled him off the edge. Orgasm swept through him and Alex's world narrowed to two pinpricks of blue light before he fell into blackness.

The brunette stirred some minutes later to the sensation of being lifted. His jeans were a weight on his legs that was yanked away, leaving him the small comfort of his T-shirt and his boxers still bunched around his thighs. Mumbling a protest he tried to pull up his underwear, the vague image of Blake seeing him like this making him flush, but his hands were batted away.

"I'm just taking you to the bathroom to clean up," Hunter reassured. The bathroom was spacious and directly attached to the blond's bedroom, affording them the privacy needed to bathe away their intimacies. Alex relaxed into his lover's secure clasp and didn't open his eyes until his feet were dropped back onto solid ground. An arm stayed around his waist as Hunter played with the faucets on the claw footed freestanding bathtub, adjusting the water temperature to his satisfaction. Feeling drowsily sated, Alex drew small circles on the pale flesh under his nose.

"Get out of your boxers and shirt."

"I don't want a bath by myself," the brunette pouted even as he wiggled his underwear the rest of the way off. Large, luminescent brown eyes looked up coquettishly from under girlishly long lashes. "Keep me company?"

Hunter snorted and yanked his shirt over his head, leaving the smaller youth nude before his still fully clothed lover. The blond's own shirt hung from his shoulders and his semi-hard cock jutted from the opening of his jeans; a debauched vision of masculine beauty, but Alex wanted to see him in his full glory. With a small kittenish growl he reached for the draping shirt, but with an answering smirk Hunter beat him to it, shrugging out of the shirt and reaching for the waist of his jeans.

"Get in the tub, baby." Knowing Hunter was going to join him Alex eagerly complied, sitting down toward the middle with a whistling hiss at the heat. Still, it felt good, especially on slightly sore ass muscles he hadn't even realized ached. Hunter settled behind him, legs spreading around him as he was tugged to snuggle back to front. Shower gel and a cloth appeared from somewhere and the older blond quietly soaped everywhere his long arms could reach, meticulous attention being paid to the writhing brunette's groin area.

"Hunter!" Alex squealed. Flushed and lightheaded from the steam and their earlier play he tried to escape the tub, but Hunter held him down. An arm of steel across his ribs and a callused hand on his renewed erection, and the brunette surrendered with a choked sob. Hips thrusting up into that rough fist and he came a second time with a hoarse shout.

oOo

The Thunder Rangers fought Lothor's alien, then reversed and did it again. Watching the recording from days earlier Cam chewed his bottom lip, eyes focused on one lithe figure. Freezing the desired image, he then brought an older one up from another battle.

"They look identical," Shane's voice behind him didn't startle the Asian teenager. Ever since Dustin's disappearance and the return of the Thunder Rangers the Red Ranger had virtually been haunting the dojo.

"They are. Every measurement is the same. They even have similar fighting styles, though Alex has obviously trained to fight in tandem with Hunter and Blake."

Shane's heavy presence at his back made Cam's shoulders tighten, but he forced himself to stay seated. "So you think Alex is Dustin?"

"If I had to make a judgment on this data without seeing his face, then yes, they are one in the same. But I can't be absolutely certain, nor can I tell you what it means. If Alex is Dustin, then why? In case you've failed to notice, the morphers respond to specific types. You and Hunter are both temperamental. Blake and Tori are relatively calm. Dustin is . . . carefree. Lothor practiced some form of mind control on them before. He could be again. Is Dustin the only ninja to fit his profile? I don't know. Maybe he was the most convenient. I just don't know and we can't assume."

"I don't need your measurements and comparisons, Cam," the Red Ranger growled, his arm stretching over the Asian's head to stab at the Gold Thunder Ranger. "And frankly, I don't care to the whys. That's Dustin, and after the way that blond asshole had his hands all over him, Hunter is dead."

TBC.


	4. Chapter 4

Thunder Gold, Chapter 4.

oOo

The explosion of Crusteon was unexpected, the alien monster revealing a volatile new power to self-implode. Rolling to his feet Hunter shook off his disorientation and sought out his teammates. Blake was nearly on the other side of the clearing and appeared unhurt if a little wobbly. There was no sign of Alex.

"Blake! Where's Alex?" The smaller Ranger cast about him, but finally shook his head. Hunter cursed, conflicted over searching for his lover or waiting to see if Crusteon was going to re-form.

The choice was abruptly waylaid as he was tackled to the ground, his assailant landing several punishing blows before he could throw him off. The Red Wind Ranger sprang to his feet and came at him again. The two fought with no quarter given or words exchanged. The force of their blows tore into the ground and felled trees, the clearing left nearly a mile behind before their supernatural power deserted them. Falling weakly apart Shane stumbled into a tree and sagged against it for support. Warily, he watched Hunter clumsily draw himself into a crouch.

"Bastard."

Hunter didn't plead ignorance, tired of denying he'd claimed what was his for the taking. His by right. The Wind Rangers had treated Dustin like a second rate ninja, a wannabe who barely deserved their time, let alone their respect. Unfortunate it had taken his loss for them to realize his worth, but his pity would not extend to returning the Yellow Ranger. Dustin was forever Alex, and no rage on Shane's part could refute that.

The Thunder Ranger's continued silence infuriated the other youth. "Don't you have anything to say? Tell me that I'm wrong, that you didn't kidnap Dustin and brainwash him? Why don't you lie to me now? Damn you, we trusted you!"

Hunter angrily shook his head. "Then you were a fool. This isn't recess. It's war and to win I will do anything. You're weak. Your team is weak. Only the strongest survive and to do that you need a complete triad. A Yellow Ranger. Your bad luck there's only one and he's ours."

The Wind Ranger gave an inarticulate cry and charged him, but Hunter easily avoided the clumsy attack, continuing to taunt the other teenager as they circled. "You treated your Yellow Ranger as a joke. Instead of giving him the attention he needed, you ignored or mocked him." Another wild rush of red, but Hunter stepped into it this time, blocking Shane's blows and delivering his own open palm slap. The other Ranger's head snapped to the side and Hunter took two handfuls of red spandex, bringing them chest to chest. "But even if you had been the friends he deserved, you couldn't have given him what he needed."

"You sick fuck, Dustin isn't like that! You're forcing him!"

"You'd like that to be true, but I wouldn't betray Alex that way. Everything we've done, it's been by mutual consent."

"No!" Shane struggled to free himself and Hunter shoved him away, sending the other Ranger to his ass in the tall grass.

"Dude, that's exactly what I'm talking about."

"Hunter!" "Shane!" The two blue Rangers flashed into the clearing. "We can't find Dustin!"

oOo

Alex listened to the two Red Rangers argue from his perch in a tree bordering the clearing. When he'd come to some distance from the battle, he'd quickly shaken any plaguing dizziness and rushed towards the sounds of fighting. Only to find his boyfriend duking it out with the guy Wind Ranger. Hesitating in uncertainty, his confusion had only deepened when their argument moved to words. Who was Dustin? Nothing they said made sense, the burning pain lancing up his spine furthering his turmoil.

When the blue Rangers arrived Alex fled. He needed to think, to try and remember what Shane and Hunter were fighting over. Was it him? Had the Wind Ranger confused him for this Dustin? His back continued to burn, making him want to stop, to return to Hunter, but he pushed himself to run, to ignore the pain calling him back to his lover. Behind him, he could hear Hunter calling his name, his voice drowning out all the others.

"Alex! Where are you?"

I'm here, I'm here, right here, oh please make this stop, I'm right here. The words echoed in his head and chanted out of his mouth, a litany that kept rhythm with the pound of his feet. Hunter called to him, yet he ran, the pain fueling him to go faster, to run until there was nothing left to make sense of. Branches tore at his uniform and scratched his helmet, but his mounting panic blinded him to the path he cut through the trees.

He almost ran down the boy who suddenly dropped in his way, swerving at the last moment to trip over his own feet and crash to the forest floor. With a groan of protesting muscles he rolled over, glaring up at the Asian warily watching him. "Man, watch where you're going."

"Sorry. You're Alex, a Thunder Ranger, right?"

"Yeah," Alex answered slowly, his guard coming up. What if this was one of Lothor's goons?

"I'm Cam. I work with the Wind Rangers." He stepped closer. "Are you okay?"

At his approach Alex scrambled to his feet, eyes darting back the way he had come, to the lover still looking for him. "Good. I'm good."

His uneasiness must have been palpable, because Cam stopped and held his hands palm up where Alex could see them. "I'm not going to hurt you, Alex. I know you don't remember this, but we used to be friends."

"I don't, but there's a lot I don't remember." Like who I am supposed to be.

The other boy's answering smile was sad, but renewed the warmth of his eyes. "I know things are really confusing right now, but I trust your heart to know where you belong. To know where you'll do the most good."

"Do you know who Dustin is?" Alex blurted.

"Yeah," Cam grinned, "and so do you. This used to be his actually, but I bet he'd like you to have it." The older teen reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a watch, tossing it at the Gold Ranger.

Alex caught it one handed and held it up. "Hey, this is a morpher!"

"Yours now."

"But I already have one."

"Thunder and Wind are meant to work together," was his enigmatic reply. "Go on, put it on."

The morpher looked legitimate, but more than that, it felt right. Like it was meant to be his. With one final glance at his self-proclaimed friend, Alex clapped the band over his unadorned wrist.

TBC.


	5. Chapter 5

Thunder Gold, Chapter 5.

oOo

The Crimson Ranger stood perilously close to the cliff's edge, every line of his body speaking of fatigue and tension. The sun was just above the ocean he looked out over, more red than yellow, the light of the end of the day casting the lone figure into hues of black. His helmet lay discarded several yards behind him, a teasing wind swirling his unkempt hair into a playful dance.

"Hunter?" Soft uncertain voice and he hadn't even heard his approach. Spinning around, uncaring of the cliff's edge, his eyes greedily took in the exhausted teenager standing unsteadily a few feet away. Faded jeans and an over large T-shirt he'd taken from Hunter's closet this morning, Alex looked Heaven sent. Not even the matching morphers could distract from that beloved face, pale and sheened with sweat.

"Hunter?" Alex gasped, in apparent pain as his knees gave way. In a burst of Ranger speed Hunter was there, scooping him into his arms and hugging him close. The smaller youth collapsed gratefully, eyes blinking open once before he passed out.

"Alex? Hang on, baby, I'm taking you home."

oOo

Two days later Alex woke alone. He ached in a general way and a twinge of nausea when he tried to move made him decide to lie where he was. The sheets felt cool against his over warm body and smelled of a familiar cologne. Burying his nose into the softness of pillow he breathed in and remembered.

Hunter. He was in Hunter's bed. How he came to be there when the last thing he remembered was being given the Wind morpher he didn't know, but he chose not to question it. He was home. Smiling happily he snuggled down, buried to his nose and curled around his lover's pillow.

His joy was short lived, however, as pain lanced up his spine and exploded in his head. He writhed, fists tearing the sheets, screams reduced to choked whimpers as agony seized him in its crushing grip. Memories of another life bombarded him and he was back in the forest, falling before the Asian man as his old self and new tried to tear him asunder. Dustin wanted back in, but more than that, he wanted Alex's life. He wanted the acceptance, the sense of belonging.

He wanted Alex's life with Hunter.

No! Locked within his own mind Alex had fought his former incarnation. He had been blind to the forest that bore witness to his writhing, convulsions that gave physical evidence to the scale of the battle that waged on an unseen battlefield.

He didn't know how long he lay on the ground, but eventually he had won. More than equally matched, Hunter's love had finally given him the winning advantage. Dustin had been absorbed into his consciousness, settling into his identity like Peter Pan's shadow. With him came all his memories of what he had been, the Yellow Wind Ranger.

Though Alex had won he now acknowledged, lying in his boyfriend's bed, that his life was a lie. Hunter, the man he loved, had done something to him, erased his memories, and he struggled to understand why. Why him? Why pretend to be his boyfriend? Was he the butt of some sick joke? The mere thought made him sob and curl tighter into Hunter's pillow.

"Alex?" The sound of his boyfriend and tormentor's voice made him stiffen, the concerned tone squeezing his eyes shut. Oh God, what if none of this was real? What if he was about to prove what an idiot Dustin really was? "Baby, are you okay?"

Strong, familiar hands pulled the blankets away and stroked over his arm. The mattress shifted as Hunter climbed atop, straddling his legs. "Alex, please let me know you're okay."

With a defeated sigh Alex propped himself up on one elbow, reluctantly lifting his tear matted lashes to gaze up at the man he'd thought he meant everything to. The love that stared down at him made his jaw unhinge; there was no faking the warmth in those impossibly blue eyes. Nor the concern that crinkled the corners. He smiled then in obvious amusement, shaking his head at Alex's blush. "You goof," the larger boy admonished, his capable hands lifting Alex from the mattress and into his arms.

Hunter hugged him tightly. Tightly enough that Alex felt the subtle stiffening of his muscles. Turning his head he saw the scattering of ash that marked where he'd lain, the reason for Hunter's sudden tension.

"Dustin?" Hunter softly asked.

And Alex remembered that Hunter had never taken his virginity, despite all his begging. That had to mean something, exactly what he didn't know. Had to possess some profundity that he was too happy or stupid to grasp. Maybe it meant Hunter really loved him, enough to go to extreme lengths to have him and yet at the same time loving him as though his innocence was sacred. It all sounded too complicated for his still fuzzy mind to comprehend, but such bizarrely twisted logic sounded like Hunter. In the end, however, he realized it all came down to here and now, and what he, Alex, would do. With the weight of two destinies in his arms, snuggled into the most protective, comforting embrace he'd ever know, Alex realized the choice was fairly simple.

"Who got knocked on the head here?" He softly joked into Hunter's ear. "The name's Alex, remember?" Another flinch, but then his lover was hugging him tightly once more. "Always your Alex."

Now if he could also figure out how to be Dustin as well.

oOo

Three weeks later. 

Life had been quiet in Blue Harbor but the Rangers recognized it for the brief lull it was, convinced Lothor would never peacefully quit the field of battle. One day they would defeat him, but till then they prepared.

A monster appearing downtown and attacking a shoe sale of all things was an almost welcome return to normalcy for Shane and the Red Ranger raced to tackle this newest threat. To his right Tori kept pace, the side to his left notably empty. There was nothing to be done right now but mark the loss, but he promised to himself, a regularly repeated vow, that he would get Dustin back.

"Shane, look out!" The Red Ranger barely leaped aside in time to avoid being skewered by the monster's long talons. The warning hadn't come from Tori and as he rolled to his feet Shane started to see the Gold Thunder Ranger. Beyond him the Royal Ranger was leaping to Tori's aid against a wave of Kelzacks, the Crimson gleefully unleashing himself on the monster.

"Dust-" he began, reaching out to grab his brainwashed teammate but the Gold Ranger quickly stepped back.

"It's Alex, dude, and why haven't you guys called up your Megazoid?" The voice was Dustin's, but the confident tone was not and Shane reared back.

"That's kind of hard to do without our Yellow Ranger," he snapped, angry at Dustin suddenly for letting himself get kidnapped, at knowing he was being played and helpless to stop it. The words, hard and burning, flew out of his mouth and he didn't regret a one. "Maybe you've seen him around? A lazy ass loser who doesn't seem to have the brains to figure out what team he belongs on!"

The Gold Ranger stood still for a long minute, then slowly brought his wrists together. A flash of light and two Rangers appeared. "Don't know the dude," the Yellow Wind Ranger said, briefly touching hands with the Gold Thunder Ranger at his shoulder. "Cam, are we ready to launch?"

It was Dustin's replicating power and now that Shane was aware of it he realized both yellow Rangers had a morpher. A different morpher. /Yeah, Yellow Ranger/ Cam said softly into their helmets. /The Zoids are go./

"Cam," Shane whined as the yellow Rangers bounded off, the Gold rejoining the Thunder Rangers, "what is going on?"

/Just you making things a whole lot easier on Alex/ came the sharp reply. /Get to your Zoid, Shane, and let's deal with this monster./

Tori was understandably surprised when the lion Zoid came roaring down the street, but managed to keep her focus and leap into her own battle robot. After that no one had time to ask questions, the two teams roughly coordinating their Zoids to defeat the enlarged monster. For Shane, sitting in the cockpit with a quiet Yellow Ranger behind him, it was surreal. After a drawn out battle they vanquished the monster and if the Red Ranger let himself, the moment almost felt like it used to.

The monster exploded and Shane pumped his fist in the air. "Awright! Now that's how we do this!"

"Good job, guys," the Yellow Ranger said behind him, climbing to his feet. Twisting around in his seat, Shane opened his mouth but nothing came out as the other boy disappeared.

"Dammit!"

"Shane, down on the ground!" Tori excitedly exclaimed, pointing to the three Thunder Rangers leaping from their zoids. The Blue Ranger was on her feet and Shane was right behind her, eyes narrowed to see two morphers again on the Gold Ranger. Why the hell was he choosing those assholes over his friends?

A burst of Ranger power and they were on the ground, yards away from the Thunder Rangers. "Dustin!" Shane shouted, speeding forward to grab the smaller youth, but was thrown off by a blue streak. Palm out Blake glared down at him, tensed to deliver another warding blow to safeguard his teammate. Behind him Hunter was holding Alex, having yanked him away even as his brother interceded. Having followed the Red Ranger Tori was staring at Blake aghast.

"Guys, stop it!" The blond clenched her fists, the air visibly rippling around her. "I mean it! Stop fighting!" Raindrops, small but growing heavier, started to splatter around them and Blake stepped back though he did not relax his stance. Shane scrambled to his feet.

"Tori," Shane snapped, wiping at his wet faceplate, "unless they're going to melt, this is not helping. We need to get Dustin with us, get him away from those two so he can get his head back on straight."

Wrenching himself out of Hunter's arms Alex stepped up to Blake's shoulder, but not past, minding the arm the Royal Ranger threw out. "Why can't you get this, Shane? I'm where I want to be!"

"Dustin-"

"No! The name's Alex!"

"Listen to you! You're brainwashed, man! Your name is Dustin and you ain't one of them!" Stepping closer Shane eyed the smaller Blake, calculating what it would take to lay him out and snatch Dustin before Hunter could counter attack.

"Wise up, dude! Dustin was no more my name than Alex or Waldo." The Red Ranger jerked back at that reminder and Alex yanked his helmet off, uncaring if anyone could possibly see him through Tori's continued rain shower. "Dustin was just who I wanted to be then, who I thought I had to be, to be accepted by everyone at the dojo. Waldo the Ninja would not have exactly inspired respect. Alex is who I want to be now. Do you get it yet? This is the life I want! Hunter and Blake let me be, respect my skill and accept my weirdness. Hunter loves me as goofy as I am! I don't want to be Dustin anymore!"

The rain came down harder, sheets of it that blurred the world around them. A small hand touched Blake's arm, a gentle pressure that heralded Tori appearing in front of him. Her other hand touched Alex's cheek, pale blue eyes meeting dark brown evenly. "I am sorry for anything I might have done, or not have done, that made you feel this way, that you had to put on an act with us. Alex, Dustin or Waldo, you are my friend and I hope you won't forget that." She smiled and leaned in to peck his other cheek. "Shane's gonna take awhile, but me, I knew you when you were Waldo and we were friends then. Don't be a stranger."

"Thanks, Tor'," Alex whispered, taking her hand and giving it a tight squeeze. "And I'm not abandoning you guys. With my splitting power, I can be where I'm needed."

Tori nodded, though she frowned as she stepped back, starting to fade into the rain. "That's not a fair solution to you, Alex, but give us time. Now go."

Meanwhile, Shane was trying to make sense of anything that he was seeing, which wasn't much. "Tori!" The rain was practically coming down as a solid wall, blinding him. He was tempted to take off his helmet but the water was hitting his shoulders hard, discouraging him from exposing his head to similar treatment. "Fuck! Cam, I can't see anything! We're going to lose Dustin again! Cam!"

There was no answer but static and he cursed again. Just when he had decided to charge head and hope the Thunder Rangers were as sight blind as he was the rain began to relent. As quickly as they opened the heavens closed. Shaking his head Shane resisted the urge to scream seeing only Tori standing before him.

"Dammit, Tori, what the hell were you thinking? You let them go with Dustin! Do you not get that they've brainwashed him?"

"Shane," the Blue Ranger began, "I don't think -"

"Yeah, you didn't! That's pretty fucking obvious!"

/Shane/ Cam's voice came loud over his helmet's internal speakers, making him wince. /That's enough! Alex knows who he was and he's chosen to stay with the Thunder Rangers! Maybe you need to think on that/

Was everyone insane? How the hell could Tori and Cam be okay with Dustin staying with those assholes? They'd kidnapped him and done who knew what else to coerce him into staying! How could he be the only one who got that? With a shouted of frustrated rage Shane streaked away.

Watching him go Tori sighed, dropping to her haunches and hanging her head. "Cam, did I make the right decision? Is Alex really brainwashed?"

/He may have been before, but not after I gave him the Yellow Wind Morpher. He's made the decision to stay with the Thunder Rangers./

"You could see it, you know? Hunter really loves him. That's why . . . Do you think Shane's going to forgive me?"

She wasn't sure Cam was going to answer her, the silence stretched on for so long, but then his words came to her, quiet and sad. /Not until he forgives himself./

TBC.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6, Conclusion.

Warnings: modified sexual content. Tried to tone it down. Go to my profile and follow one of the posted links if you want to read the original version.

oOo

Located behind the Thunder Dojo a sprawling tumble of rock surrounded a hot spring, further secluded from the curious by untamed heavy foliage. The grotto was once a popular spot for the instructors and older students of the dojo, so much so it had been difficult to enjoy alone. Not so anymore. The heavy steam rising from the surface of the dark water was barely disturbed by the languid movements of its sole visitor. Watching from the crown of one of the taller boulders there were tantalizing glimpses of svelte golden limbs as teasing breezes swirled down, but the clouds of warm air never fully cleared to reveal the dark haired figure lazing across a partially submerged rock. The only detail that ruined the fantastical vision were the black swim trunks with their gold stripe hiding all the interesting bits.

"Didn't your mother warn you about what happens to pretty nymphs all alone?" Hunter called out from his overhead perch, voice briefly muffled by the shirt going over his head.

Alex laughed, appreciatively watching his love even as he stretched in a tempting ripple of wet, lean muscle. "How do you know I'm not a merman, here to tempt you to your doom?"

The answer gave the blond pause and he froze with his hands on the waistband of his shorts. "Where did you read about mermaids, the not Disney version?"

"Duh, from where I have learned all things aquatic."

"Hunh. Tori." The shorts joined sandals and shirt, Hunter wearing nothing else beneath.

"Not just a pretty face, you know," Alex called, rolling his eyes.

"You or Tori?" His boyfriend laughed and then cleanly dived into the pool twenty feet below with barely a splash.

"Shit, Hunter!" Not that his skill reassured Alex in any way. When he broke the surface a foot splashed near his head, kicking water into his face. "You didn't say we could dive here!"

Alex's foot dipped again, but Hunter caught his ankle and yanked him from his perch. With an outraged squawk the brunette tumbled into the water and his boyfriend's arms. "You can do it too, mermaid boy, but it's a small deep water target."

"Merman," Alex primly corrected, expression haughty and somewhat reminiscent of his former teammate until Hunter's digging fingers broke him into giggles. Grabbing at the blond's hands he tried to wiggle free, then changed tactics when that failed, throwing his arms about his boyfriend's neck and pitching them under the water.

"You are trying to drown me!" Hunter spluttered when they came back up. Laughing as he darted away Alex made for the diving rock, but didn't get far, Hunter lunging after him. "You're going down, merboy!"

They roughhoused the breadth of the pool, dissipating the clouds of steam and raising a tumult of laughter and shouting. When they finally exhausted themselves the two lithe ninja collapsed against the water warmed rocks. Laying on his back Alex stared up at the canopy of trees encircling the grotto, the sunlight beaming through small gaps between their entwined branches. It was beautiful and made Hunter's slicked back hair reflect golden when the larger youth rolled on top of him. Arms braced to either side of Alex's dark head Hunter stared down at him, chest still heaving from their play. For several minutes meridian blue eyes silently regarded deep topaz.

"Do you forgive me?" Hunter finally asked, the uncertainty in his voice revealing his conflict of emotion.

Alex stared up at him, fingers curling into fists against the moss covered rock. "For kidnapping me from my team and brainwashing me?"

"They didn't deserve you," the blond Ranger promptly responded. "Didn't love you the way I do."

Alex sighed, turning his face away. "I've chosen to stay with you, Hunter. To be your Alex. Isn't that enough?"

Stroking down his jaw Hunter caught his chin, drawing the stormy brown eyes back to his own. "You stay because you love me, but do you forgive me, baby?"

It hurt to say it, but did it hurt anymore to hear it? "No, Hunter. I don't. I know if you had it all to do over again you'd have done the same things. You don't regret anything you did, do you?"

"I would do anything to have you, yeah."

"Me, or the Yellow Ranger?" Alex snapped back.

"If the Wind Ninjas had had a dozen Yellow Rangers and you were just the janitor, I still would have stolen you. If you'd known nothing about Power Rangers at all and just been the cute little hottie on the track, you'd have been mine the first day we met."

"Yeah, and what if I'd thought you were just some arrogant jerk?" Alex challenged, denying the flush climbing his cheeks.

"You like me being an arrogant jerk," Hunter said confidently, leaning down to teasingly brush their lips together.

"Do not," Alex mumbled, tilting his head to follow his boyfriend's mouth.

"Yeah," Hunter chuckled, "you do. You like that I know what I want." A quick kiss to affirm it was Alex he wanted. "You like that I make sure everybody knows what's mine." A longer kiss.

"What you stole," Alex gasped when he was let up for air.

Hunter grinned, shaking his head. "Worked for Lothor, remember? I have never claimed to be a nice guy. Or even one of the good guys, so I'm not ever going to apologize for taking what should belong to me." Hunter was dead serious and Alex shivered to hear his words, unconsciously drawing the blond's warmth closer with the hand he curled about Hunter's nape.

"And if I had chosen to return to the Wind Ninjas?" he breathed against Hunter's mouth. "What would you have done?"

"Taken you back."

"Arrogant and conceited," the smaller ninja grumbled.

"Only about what matters," Hunter agreed, kissing his Gold Ranger, long and deep, hips undulating against the crotch trapped beneath his own. Alex moaned, pressing up into that maddening touch, hungry for so much more.

"Hunter," he gasped, reaching down to grab his boyfriend's ass and grinding them harder. "Hunter, please." Two hardening cocks rubbed against each other with only the thin barrier of Alex's swim trunks between, the boy beneath spreading and bending his legs to bring them closer still.

"You want me, Alex?" the blond husked, rearing back on one arm to reach between them and pull Alex's shorts down to free him into his calloused fist. Alex hissed and arched into the rough touch, tearing brown eyes squeezing closed. The rock was uncompromising beneath him, but he didn't care, thrusting into Hunter's confident grip. "Tell me what you want, Alex."

When the gasping brunette took too long to answer Hunter rubbed his thumb over the head of his lover's penis and then pressed down, hard. Alex cried out sharply, spine bowing, fingers clawing into the blond's shoulder. The pressure relented and Alex's eyes slit open, chest heaving from the intense wave of sensation Hunter had forced from him. He couldn't even say if it had been painful or pleasurable, it had taken him so suddenly.

"I want you all the way, Hunter," he said when he could find his voice, nails digging painfully into flesh. "No more games, I just want you to fuck me."

Hunter's eyes lit up, but still he hesitated. "Are you absolutely sure, baby?"

"Oh yeah," Alex whispered, wrapping his legs around the blond's waist. "You want to keep me? Then I want everything you've got."

"Everything, huh?" Hunter grinned goofily. Glancing around at their rocky surroundings he briefly frowned before his gaze went upward. "Back in a flash."

The Crimson Ranger streaked to the top of the boulder he'd earlier leapt from and Alex slowly sat up as he heard his boyfriend cursing. A familiar t-shirt came fluttering down and he shook his head, wiggling out of his own shorts. Was everyone sure he was supposed to be the goof? Rolling over onto his stomach on the moss heavy rock the Yellow Gold Ranger put his cheek to the warm earth, smiling at the welcoming thrum that traveled through him. Knowing now of his Child of Earth abilities his Gold powers were expanding them, complimenting and paralleling the nature of his Ranger essence. He could not only move through earth, but he could sense it, its deep peace and remote curiosity, and it could sense him. As another article of clothing floated down the damp moss and hard stone beneath him softened marginally. The stone really didn't understand why he wanted it to loosen, but it tried, and Alex grinned in triumph.

"Aha!" Seconds later the ground thumped softly behind him and Alex rolled over on one hip to laugh at Hunter's hungry expression, the blond brandishing a small tube and a foil packet in one hand.

"Over confident much?" Alex teased.

"Nah," Hunter dismissed, kneeling astride his hips to lean down to draw him into a toe curling, passion igniting kiss. "Just hopeful."

Alex had propped himself on one elbow to give as good as he got, his other arm roping Hunter's neck to keep him in place this time. His love didn't seem to mind, lightly running his fingers down Alex's arm, across his back and down to his bottom. Somehow when those clever fingers stroked his cleft they were slippery, but Alex could hardly be blamed for not paying attention with Hunter sucking on his neck that way. He whimpered a little when the blond left off with his throat, kissing his way down Alex's golden skin. An agile, too sexy lift and slide and Hunter was kneeling between his splayed legs, tonguing his navel.

"Hunter," the brunette gasped, "Please, Hunter, stop teasing."

"Like that?" the blond murmured, giving him one last nibble before re-directing himself to Alex's pebbled nipples. First one than the other he laved with voracious attention, slowly stirring his boyfriend back to writhing arousal while his fingers continued their preparations. It kinda hurt, but in such a good way that Alex had to cover his mouth to muffle the embarrassing little squeaking noises he was making.

"Hmm, tha ep," Alex managed, language center not quite firing on all cylinders. Not that Hunter seemed to mind.

Hunter laughed again and pulled his hand away. "Don't. I want to hear every sound you make." The fingers left and something significantly larger was pressing inside. Alex threw out a hand and Hunter managed to catch it while holding onto his hip with the other. He wanted up, he wanted to see and he gripped Hunter's shoulder as he arched up and down, a wail keening out of him as Hunter slid all the way up inside. "God, Alex, so damn tight," Hunter grunted, his hands squeezing Alex's slender body hard enough to guarantee a patina of bruises tomorrow. "So beautiful, baby."

"Hunnn . . ." There went his speech again. Alex wrapped his legs around Hunter's kneeling figure. Kisses rained over his face, his neck and shoulders, words of love and praise falling as heavily. Alex grunted with each thrust and mewled out a whimper of loss with each slow drag out. So embarrassing and he buried his face in Hunter's neck.

"Up and over," the blond grunted, shifting Alex onto his back and guiding his legs over his shoulders. Thank goodness for hours and hours of ninja training because Alex didn't feel the strain at all being folded practically in half. Alex shoved a hand into his mouth.

"Please," the brunette Ranger gasped when his boyfriend snatched up both of his wrists and held them over his head in his larger hand.

"I want to hear you scream, Alex," Hunter rasped, his other hand going to Alex's neglected arousal. At his gentle squeeze and stroke Alex did scream, long and loud. His vision whitened out as he jerked in liquefying pleasure, the very earth beneath him trembling in reaction. Distantly he felt Hunter moving inside, of warmth, but it all fell away.

Minutes or hours later, he couldn't say, he came back to the cradle of Hunter's arms, the Crimson Ranger breathing hard and clutching him tightly. "Ehmm," Alex hummed, forcing his leaden arms to circle Hunter's broad shoulders so he could snuggle closer. His body was aching in a few places he had never felt before, and he was going to be feeling them even more later, but right now, as cheesy as it sounded, he felt loved.

"Next time, we're doing this on a bed," Hunter declared. "You started to melt into the rock."

Well that explained his feet swaying in the air. Though he was still kneeling Hunter had him up in his arms bridal style, insuring not a toe touched the still bubbling stone behind them. "Sorry. Did you?"

A finger curled under his chin so Hunter could buss him. "Trust me, gorgeous, if I hadn't we would be in that bed right now. Just gave me a scare is all."

Alex smiled, impish and far too alluring. "Well then, don't you think we should make sure the bed is safe?" He even went so far to bat his eyelashes. "You know, for the sake of your nerves?" He stroked a finger down his own chest, thrilled to see Hunter's intense gaze zero in. "And we should test the tub, too, yeah? Wouldn't want to give you a scare in such an accident prone area."

"Can't have that," the blond purred, leaning in to start their dance all over again. "Can't have that at all."

oOo

Alex blocked Hunter's fist, ducked, slid his weight to his opposite foot and executed a smooth backward flip that put him in place for the next sequence. In perfect rhythm Hunter and Blake were there to meet him, bodies moving in a swift dance of violence that allowed little room for error. The trio fought with complete control, without the intent to win, but rather to indulge in the exercising of their unity as teammates, brothers and lovers. In a tight circle of no more than twelve feet they vibrated the air with the force of their exchanges, the energy limitless as their Ranger power harmonized, flowing between them in an endless seeming loop of give and take, pivot and return.

"That was awesome," Cam said, clapping softly from where he crouched at the edge of the mat when they finally broke apart. "Do you guys realize you were breathing together?"

"It happens," Blake shrugged, lifting a hand to catch the water bottle Alex threw at the back of his head. Cam watched Hunter snag his boyfriend about the waist, reeling him close for a kiss. The two moved into each other with a grace Cam could only admire, a blush staining his cheeks. "Get a room, you pervs!" Blake shouted back at them, amused smile belying his words.

"Don't be mad that I won't share, baby brother," Hunter laughed.

Blake snorted. "I'll keep that in mind. Sooo, Cam, to change the subject, what do you think of the dojo?"

"Pretty cool," the Asian grinned, shaking his head at the brothers' antics, "thanks for letting me come." It seemed the brothers were unconcerned with Alex having two morphers, but maybe they hadn't yet realized that made the adorably goofy brunette the strongest and most powerful of them all. Not so long ago his father had said the greatest warriors were often those hardest to see. Not that Cam was going to point that out to them.

"Uh-huh. Alex said we should trust you with the whole computer know-how. And those Tsunami bikes you designed were sweet." The hint wasn't subtle in the least, but Cam had his own reasons for being there.

"Yeah, they are," Cam easily answered, absently fingering the bauble at his throat, "but I've been thinking of ways we could combine our Zords into a Megazord. Really take it to Lothor."

"Really? Hunter, stop molesting Alex and come listen to this," Blake called, brusquely waving his teammates over.

Cam smiled. The storm was coming.

oOo

The End. Possibly. I debated on whether to end with the following scene. Ultimately, I decided it was redundant and a little confusing. I've attached it so you can decide which ending you prefer. It's intended as a flashback scene. The italics may not paste. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! This was a fun story to write!

oOo

_Dustin gasped, eyes popping open as he came back to himself, sprawled on the forest floor. A cool hand swept his hair off his forehead, drawing his attention to the teenager kneeling next to him. His chest hurt, his back felt like he'd been whipped, and his fingers and toes were tingling. For the first time in too long, however, he knew who he was, who he really was. Who the young Asian man sitting next to him was._

"_Cam?"_

"_Hey, buddy. Here, let me help you sit up." With Cam's strong supporting arm Dustin sat up, rubbing at the back of his head._

"_Thanks. What the hell happened? Last thing I remember was being late for practice."_

_Cam frowned, nervously rubbing the bauble that hung from his neck. "Near as we can put together, the Storm Rangers kidnapped and brainwashed you to become their Gold Ranger. Look at your wrists."_

_Doing as bid, Dustin blinked owlishly. "Dude, I've got two morphers!"_

"_Gold and Yellow. Dustin. Dustin, look at me. Hunter told Shane they took you to win the war against Lothor, to activate their Gold Ranger, but it's more than that. Hunter loves you." He smiled at the younger teen's dumbfounded look, ruffling his hair. "Yeah, you. The Thunder Rangers are out of control and we could really use them as an ally over an enemy. We can't wage a war on two fronts and Hunter and Blake are hotheaded enough to attack us and Lothor. Sensei fears they would do anything to win against Lothor and avenge their parents. He's been afraid for a while about what they would do without a balancing influence. Your alter ego, Alex, he provides that balance."_

_Dustin looked back at his wrists, then lifted his eyes to Cam's black ones. "What are you telling me, Cam?"_

"_That you get to make a choice, Dustin."_

The End.


End file.
